Chapter 14: Hating Music

Ashton's POV

"Are you ready?" my mom asked me as I stood in front of my father's VIP room at the hospital. My siblings were behind me; they had already come to see my father, and I was the only one among the family members who hadn't visited him. I am glad my mother respected my decision not to show up right away.

"Yes, I am ready, Mom," I said, and she opened the door for me.

I returned to Astikoz for the first time after eight years. I know it was because of the memories of Megan; even the beautiful memories I had with her turned sour and ugly after I learned she was with Gael, and what made me hate her more was her music. I used to love music so much that it became the most annoying thing in my life after Megan let Gael sing her music. And I wanted everything to change since I know music has nothing to do with my heartaches.

I thought I was in a bad dream after getting inside my father's room when I found him in his bed, and I couldn't believe the strongest and most powerful man I ever knew would be lying in front of us. One side of his body was paralyzed, and he experienced sudden blurring of vision, and he had trouble speaking and understanding what we were saying. The moment I held his trembling hand, I saw my father's tears in his eyes, and I couldn't stop my own emotions as I cried with him. He was trying his best to talk, but I put my finger on his mouth.

"Dad, you don't need to talk. I understand what you mean. I am sorry if I came to visit you so late, but I hope you forgive me," I said, and he nodded his head. I leaned down and hugged my father; it has been a long time since I hugged him. I know he knew how much I hated him for ruining my relationship with Megan, but as I looked at him now, trying his best to communicate with us, all the hatred that I had for him vanished, and what was left was pity. How could he have had a stroke when he was still young?

I could see the pain on my father's face as he tried to stroke my head while I continued to hug him. He used to be so strong, and we enjoyed playing basketball together, and now he looked like a stranger to me. I couldn't believe I was facing my father because never in my wildest dreams did I imagine my dad in a hospital bed because he always looked authoritative and so influential. Right now, all I saw was a sickly man on his bed.

"Dad, I quit football just like you wanted. Thank you for giving me a chance to be a professional football player, and I will never forget the experiences that I had. Now I came home to Astikoz to fulfill one of your greatest dreams for me. I know I will never be ready to run our company, but I believe it runs in our blood, so I think I will become a great CEO," I said, and I know my father tried his best to smile at me, but due to his paralysis, it almost looked like a snarl, but I could feel in my bones that he was happy with my decision.

We left the hospital with low spirits, and I could tell my siblings felt the same way. Since they are now both working in our company, they couldn't be happier to welcome me. But I could tell they were all affected by my dad's current situation, and running the company means I will be traveling to Majuscule and Astikoz most of the time. Since my brothers are in charge of our office here, I felt confident they would help me, and my elder sister is working in Majuscule. I could tell I would be fine.

"So, are you ready to talk about your fiancée now?" Lennon asked the moment we got back into our house, and I am just glad we are now good after what happened with Sherry and me. It was one of my birthday parties I threw during the peak of my career, and of course, I invited my siblings, and Lennon brought his ex-fiancée. I was drunk that night.

I still remember I retired early to bed that night. After all, I felt so depressed because I couldn't forget I heard someone singing Gael's song—my song—which was entitled "I Am Not Special" in my living room when they decided to have karaoke. I felt so angry, but I couldn't stop them from singing, so I decided to sleep in my room instead of wasting my time listening to Gael's music.

I was already sleeping when I was awakened by someone who snuggled beside me, and I was too sleepy to care. The next thing I knew, I heard my brother's fiancée's voice, and I felt she was undressing me, and I tried to stop her. When I opened my eyes, I felt so terrified to find Sherry sitting on top of my bed naked, and then everything happened in a blur. My brother came, and it was a hell of a night to remember that, until now, it gives me goosebumps. It was too late for me to realize that Cole was right after all.

"What the hell are you doing here naked in my brother's room, Sherry?" I heard Lennon's booming voice as I tried to get up, but before I could stand up properly, my brother hit me in the face and I plummeted to the ground. He pulled me up by yanking my shirt, and he was about to give me another blow when his fiancée shouted at him.

"Stop it, Lennon! Please!" Sherry yelled while she was crying, and she didn't even bother to put on her clothes. I threw a blanket at her, and I felt so glad Lennon listened. He pushed me hard, and I fell back to the floor.

"Ashton has nothing to do with this; I came here unannounced. I am sorry, Lennon, but I haven't loved you ever since you became my boyfriend. I always had a thing for your elder brother, that is why I tried my best to get your attention—so I could see him almost every day—but he never looked at me the way he gazed at Megan. When she vanished, I thought I would have my chance," she said, and I could see the pain on my brother's face.

"I've loved Ashton for a long time now, Lennon, and sorry for using you. When you proposed to me, I didn't even know how to answer you because I wanted to be your brother's wife and not yours," Sherry added, and I saw Lennon walk towards the wall. Without warning, he punched the wall hard, and it made me feel my drunk self had come back alive. Lennon was so angry that he kept hitting the wall until I stopped him.

"Nothing happened between your brother and me, because even in his sleep, he was calling Megan's name. No wonder no woman will stick with him," she said, and I felt mortified at the realization that I was very confident I was over Megan, but on that day, it hit me like a bomb—I was still in love with my first love.

"And now that you know the truth, I guess I don't need this ring anymore," Sherry said, and I was terrified when she removed the engagement ring from her finger and threw it in my brother's face. I could see the tears on my brother's face that night when Sherry left without taking another glance at him, and I moved closer to him, but he raised his hand to stop me.

"This is all your fault, Ashton," he declared and left me dumbfounded. It was one of the worst moments of my life. I saw how Sherry shattered my brother's heart that night, and I felt so guilty looking back on the day I drove Megan away from our house with Lauren standing by my side. I couldn't imagine the pain I had caused her.

"Hey! Brother, are you even listening to us?" Cole asked, and I snapped back to reality, and I could tell three sets of eyes were looking at me.

"I have to break off my engagement with Claire," I said, and I could tell my brothers were not surprised at all.

"Well, it was about time. Isn't it ironic that you keep hurting the women who love you, while I get dumped? And I think all the bad things you have done come back to me, Ashton," Lennon said, and I looked at him apologetically.

"But I know it wasn't your fault at all. Cole already told me that Sherry was in love with you during the entire duration of our relationship, but I never listened because I was madly in love with her," Lennon added.

"Are you still angry with me?" I asked, and he shook his head.

"No, I have never been angry with you, big brother, but I hated you at that time. Even if I know it wasn't your fault, I just hated that girls always go crazy over you. That is why I told Cole we better get married first before we introduce our wives to you, because it would be a disaster again," he said, which made our sister laugh.

"No need to do that, guys. You know my heart only beats for one woman, and I think I am going to stay single for the rest of my life," I declared, and they all looked at me in horror.

"You can't do that, Ashton. You are the heir, and it is apparent you've got to have an heir too," Isabelle declared, and my brothers agreed in unison by saying yes, while I thought I only wanted Megan to be the mother of my children.